The Nigeria Police Force (NPF), through its National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC), has uncovered a sophisticated cybercrime syndicate accused of defrauding a telecommunications company of services worth approximately N7.7 billion.

According to a statement issued on Thursday by the Police Public Relations Officer of the NPF-NCCC, DSP Unwana Imah, the investigation was launched after a major telecom operator reported the compromise and unauthorized use of staff login credentials.

Preliminary findings revealed that between October 1 and November 28, 2024, the suspects illegally accessed the company’s billing infrastructure, generated fraudulent airtime, converted it into data bundles, and distributed the products through a network of vendors nationwide.

The operation led to the arrest of several suspects and the recovery of more than 400 laptops, 1,000 mobile phones, Point of Sale (POS) machines, cash exhibits, and other items linked to the criminal enterprise.

Investigators disclosed that the affected telecom company was able to reverse approximately 2,931.79 terabytes of fraudulently obtained data valued at about N3.8 billion.

Further investigations uncovered the involvement of both insiders and external collaborators. In a second phase of operations conducted in May 2026, NPF-NCCC operatives carried out coordinated raids across Kano, Katsina, and Zamfara states, leading to the arrest of key suspects, including Musa Muhammed Kwandi, Nura Sadauki, Aminu Muhammed, Musa Hassan Mohammed, Samson Alisigwe, and Yusuf Shehu.

Through financial tracking and asset recovery efforts, the police recovered nearly N90 million in cash, two residential properties in Kano State, a mini-plaza, and a Toyota RAV4 vehicle believed to have been acquired with proceeds from the fraud.

The police said investigations are ongoing to identify additional accomplices, recover more assets, and ensure the prosecution of all those involved.

Brief Background

Telecommunications fraud has become one of the fastest-growing forms of cybercrime in Nigeria, with criminal networks increasingly targeting telecom infrastructure, customer databases, and billing systems. Security agencies have intensified efforts to protect critical digital infrastructure as the country continues its rapid expansion in digital and financial services.